Arizona Umpiring Academy's instructor, Steve Mattingly on the left in both pictures, team up with Mike Shoemaker (middle of both pictures), District 2 Little League President training umpires. Mike Shoemaker should be recognized for his commitment to umpiring excellence.

Umpiring Protocol Off the Field
by Mike Shoemaker

As an umpire have you ever worked a tough plate assignment or umpired a game that it seemed everything you called wasn't good enough for anybody...in their opinion. Even worst, just to be heckled by some fan that knows everything about umpiring, yet has never umpired a game in their life. The answer is pretty obvious. We've all had them. In your mind you're thinking to yourself "What an incompetent fan!". Really, when you consider it, does their input really affect your decision making process? I would hope the truth is, it doesn't. A mentor of mine once suggested "Never let anyone steal your strike zone". In fairness to the players, once you have established a strike zone, it is imperative that it remains consistent throughout the game, cover to cover. It is the only way they can adjust. I'm not talking about kicking a pitch here or there. I am talking about overall consistency. That being said, the yahoo in the stands behind you is wasting his or her breath chirping at you.

We are taught as umpires that angle is more important than distance, so we constantly try to put ourselves in the best possible angle to make the correct call, but again, the Einstein in the stands can see the swipe tag from 120 feet away, better than you can with the proper angle. However, that same fan continues to embarrass themselves by screaming at the top of his lungs, as if their input is going to make you say, "You know, they just might be right, let me change my call."

As umpire we have to keep our cool, stay ethical and continue to be professional no matter how much a fan will yell and scream about a call you made. What really chaps me is how many times do we (umpires) do the same thing as a fan in the stand? I recently umpired a tournament, it was a given that at least 1/3 of the individuals in the stands were people that either had umpired the tournament in the past, or were aspiring to in the near future. Surprisingly, some of the most vocal individuals contesting some of the calls, were just that - umpires. Now, we all know that every fan thinks they are an umpire, and they are welcome to feel that way, but shouldn't there be a different standard for those who actually are? If anyone in the stadium should set an example, shouldn't it be those who have walked a mile in an umpire shoes? Anyone who officiates any sport, should do it because they love being out there officiating, and should constantly strive to excel. Knowing this, if the umpire is hustling, focused and giving 110% on what is best for umpiring and the game of baseball, who are we to criticize their judgment and decisions? No one has a better angle, and more focus than that individual calling balls and strikes, or the umpire 30 feet away with the best angle on a catch/no catch in the outfield!

Here's the point. Knowing how difficult umpiring a baseball game really is, why do umpires and other officials continue to embarrass themselves by yelling at the officials in the game. As an umpire in the role of a fan, shouldn't we be the first one in the complex bite our tongue?

What is really disheartening, when umpires who sit in the stands and criticizes the umpires working the game, not out loud, but quietly to the fans next to them. What makes it worse, the umpires in the stands identifies themselves or is known as an umpire, who in turn incites a lynch mob. That kind of behavior spreads like a cancer, and does nothing but destroy the solid foundation of what umpiring really is about a umpiring brotherhood. It is our national, better yet, world-wide fraternity. Umpires have that have this type of behavior have committed such a betrayal that no one, learning of this, would ever want to associate or worse, umpire with them. It is a common phrase and philosophy the only friend you have on that field is the other umpire on your crew. I am suggesting, that as an umpire protocol, that should extend to those in the stands that have and do umpire.

In summary, you are free to do what you wish as a fan in the stands, but in the future, consider your comments when it comes to belittling the umpires on the field, think before you speak, display some professionalism and tact, and put yourself back in their shoes prior to commenting on their umpiring ability.